The Final Conflict
by Makalani Astral
Summary: ABANDONED!Harry 6th yr at Hogwarts leads to some major self discovery, love, new friends and the ultimate confrontation w the dark side SLASH new characters. TRYING to finish it but my muse dumped me and i can't remember the middle of the story! Sorry.
1. Default Chapter

Some of these characters are copyrighted to JK Rowling (as I'm sure most of us already know). However, the characters (so far added) that are mine are: The McDowall family of Alyson, Gregor and son Drew; the MacGregor family of Merllynn (Llynn), cousin Duncan, Duncan's niece Delaney, and stepbrother Iiann. Thank you for your attention and feedback.  
*************************** After another grueling summer with the Dursley's, Harry Potter was thrilled to be back with Ron Weasely and Hermione Granger and going back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were all standing on the crowded 9 3/4 platform saying good-bye to Mrs. Weasely when a hush came over the platform. Mrs. Weasely gasped and pulled them all closer. People parted a walkway while you could hear murmurs.  
  
"I can't believe she's here!"  
  
"It's scandalous the boy was allowed into Hogwarts!"  
  
"She has a lot of nerve!"  
  
A smartly dressed blonde woman wearing a new black cloak with kitten-healed black leather boots walked briskly towards the train with a tall auburn- haired boy in tow who looked Harry's age. Neither Harry, Ron, nor Hermione could recall who he was. The boy carried an eagle owl and pulled his trunk behind him.  
  
"McDowall! Down here!" Draco Malfoy appeared and yelled.  
  
The boy looked up, waved slightly and went towards Malfoy, now with his mother in tow, looking distressed.  
  
The whistle suddenly blew for the Hogwarts Express. The normal hustle and bustle of the platform resumed and Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped into their carriage with Ginny Weasely. The four waved good-bye to Mrs. Weasely as the train started to move.  
  
"I'm going to see if I can find Delaney!" Ginny jumped off her seat and went down the corridor to find her best friend, Delaney MacGregor-Black, another Gryffindor.  
  
"Well now that she's gone, who was that boy? I don't remember him." Ron leaned over and shut the door after a quick look up and down the corridor to make sure she wasn't within hearing range.  
  
"I've see him before in our classes, I remember now, but he never really says anything. The strange thing is, Snape usually leaves him alone even if he's done it wrong!" Hermione picked up Crookshanks to pet him.  
  
"But why did everyone react that way towards them? Who are they?" Harry was thinking of owling Mrs. Weasely to find out who the pair was.  
  
Parvati Patel opened the door to see who was in that compartment just in time to hear Harry's questions. "She's Alyson McDowall and her son Drew. Gregor McDowall, her husband, is in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. He was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's right hand man, they say. Mrs. McDowall was a Ravenclaw at Hogwarts and is supposed to be a brilliant potions mistress but she married the Slytherin and never seemed to care what he was doing. Then, she had Drew right after Gregor had been sent to Azkaban so he's never seen his son."  
  
Parvati paused for breath so Hermione jumped in, "Drew's a Slytherin, right? That explains why Snape leaves him alone! Snape's probably afraid of Gregor McDowall!"  
  
"But why would Snape be afraid of McDowall when he's in Azkaban?" Harry pressed Parvati hoping for more information.  
  
"I don't know! Uh-oh! Here come Crabbe and Goyle. See you later." Parvati waved as she turned and briskly walked away.  
  
Harry was scribbling furiously by the time Crabbe and Goyle came past their compartment.  
  
"Who you writing to Potter?" Goyle stepped into the compartment and made a grab at Harry's parchment.  
  
"Get out!" Ron yelled and shoved Goyle into the corridor while Hermione threw the door closed and locked it. Ron pulled the window shade down.  
  
They waited a few minutes until Crabbe and Goyle were gone.  
  
"Who are you writing to anyway?" Hermione asked Harry.  
  
"The only person who'll know more than anyone else and tell us. Sirius. He's been in Azkaban and he'll tell me the truth." Harry finished writing and sat back to reread it.  
  
Sirius,  
  
We really need to get you cleared. This summer was worse than the others. They do get progressively worse. Luckily, there aren't too many left!  
  
How are you? Any gossip you want to hear about? Hey, does Remus Lupin write to you as well as Dumbledore and I? Just wondering how he is as well.  
  
The reason I'm writing from the Hogwarts Express is to get 'gossip' from you. I don't remember seeing this boy before but he's in my year at Hogwarts. He and his mum got onto Platform 9 3/4 and everyone shut up or mumbled nasty things. People were saying how they couldn't believe he'd been allowed into Hogwarts. I found out their names: Mrs. Alyson McDowall and her son Drew. I've been told he's a Slytherin and his mum was a Ravenclaw and is quite smart. Also that his dad, Gregor, is in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. And Drew was born after his dad was sent to Azkaban. I'm wondering if it's all true and if you know of anything else about any of them? I've never noticed him before but Malfoy called after him on the platform. I guess I just want to know who all of my enemies are and about them. I know I'll meet up with Voldemort so it's best to find out all I can about who might stand with him.  
  
My best, Harry  
  
Harry made one or two corrections and rolled up the parchment. After letting Hedwig loose from her cage, he tied the parchment to her leg and opened the compartment window. She was gone in an instant and Harry grew sad, knowing he wouldn't see her for weeks.  
  
"Hey!" The trio jumped, hearing Ginny and Delaney bang on the locked door and yell to be let in.  
  
Ron leaned over and unlocked the door. The two girls fell into the compartment, giggling. Delaney was eating a Honeyduke and holding a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans that Ginny's hand was in. The corridor was littered with fallen beans.  
  
Ron rolled his eyes and closed the door again as the two girls settled next to him. They giggled and gossiped the rest of the way to Hogwarts. Delaney had barely made the train since her train down from Scotland was late having encountered a long delay in Glasgow.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione yelled a greeting to Hargrid on the Hogsmeade platform while making for the carriages to take them up to Hogwarts instead of the boats the first years used. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas joined them in their carriage and gossiped about their summer.  
  
Professor McGonagell met them all to tell them to hurry into the Great Hall and asked the prefects to stay as to learn their house passwords. Hermione departed the group as they said they would save her a seat in the Great Hall.  
  
Harry was keen on hearing what the Sorting Hat had to say this year. It had almost put him into Slytherin six years ago but it would only be his fifth time hearing it (or so most would think). Harry had tried the hat on in Dumbledore's office one year to see if he should be in Slytherin, although the thought terrified him. The hat agreed with it's earlier decision to keep Harry a Gryffindor.  
  
Finally, the Great Hall doors opened and Professor McGonagell led in the first years. The first years were astounded by the enormity and grandeur of how the Great Hall looked this evening. These young, new students formed a line in front of the head table as Hagrid and Hermione made their way to their seats.  
  
Dumbledore stood and gave his usual short but bizarre speech then sat down for the Sorting Hat to start it's ceremony. This year, the Sorting Hat was briefly bizarre as well, only saying: "You're about to get new families, You first years must know, You'll make such follies, Others will laugh so."  
  
There was a smattering of applause when everyone realized it was done. Professor McGonagell unrolled her parchment, "Abbot, Blaine!"  
  
"Hufflepuff!" The Sorting Hat yelled after Blaine Abbot sat on the stool and put on the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagell continued amid continous applause from different parts of the Great Hall.  
  
Soon students were feasting themselves on pot roast, ham, pineapple chuncks, mash, peas, corn on the cob, salad, fresh bread, and salmon. Dessert was strawberry trifle, ice cream, profiteroles, and apple and custard pie with fresh cream.  
  
Feeling sleepy, each House parted ways. Hermione led the way towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
  
"Chestnut." Hermione announced. "Chestnut is the password to get through the portrait into Gryffindor House. Don't forget. Neville? Did you hear the password? What is it?"  
  
Neville had nodded and now turned bright red as everyone turned to look at him. "Chester," he stammered.  
  
"Chestnut," Hermione repeated.  
  
After everyone had tramped through the passageway, Hermione announced that they were in the Gryffindor House Common Room and pointed out the first yea's bedrooms. Harry and Ron had already claimed the armchairs closest tot he fire for the three of them by the time Hermione was finished. She let out a loud sigh when she was able to sit.  
  
"How long do you think it'll take to get an answer from...him?" Ron paused just in time.  
  
"At least a week but it all depends on where he is. I'll miss Hedwig."  
  
"You should have used Pig. No one would miss him. He's still so mental!" Ron offered his own owl that Sirius had given him after Scabbers, really Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew, was found out and ran back to Lord Voldemort. Pig's a pygmy owl that is hyperactive, upsetting most of the other owls in the owlery at Hogwarts and Harry said so to his friend.  
  
They chatted for a little while longer until the effects of the feast and fire were too much for them to fend off any longer. Harry and Ron left Hermione to find Neville, Seamus and Dean already fast asleep. They changed, drew the curtains of their four-poster beds and fell asleep instantly.  
************************************ It took a week for Sirius's response but it finally came in the form of Sirius himself.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Harry looked up at his name to see Sirius' head floating in the fire. "Sirius! How are you? Did you get my owl?"  
  
"Yes, listen. Beware of McDowall's son. He shouldn't know too much of his dad or of his dad's friends but since he's become a Slytherin, I'd consider him an enemy. Alyson was a Ravenclaw, like you heard, and it's from my understanding that she's kept away from Malfoy and the rest since McDowall's arrest. McDowall was Voldemort's right-hand man and is a powerful wizard. He was actually in the cell two down from me. I'm surprised Azkaban's held him as long as it has since he is so powerful."  
  
"What do you mean? Could a wizard just use magic to get out and not like how you did?" Hermione joined in the conversation, putting her homework parchments down.  
  
"Definitely. It couldn't hold Dumbledore for sure but it's possible that McDowall is waiting for Voldemort's return and hasn't bothered to try. He probably will soon though since Voldemort has regained so much of his strength and followers. I should go before this house's family returns. Bye for now."  
  
"Hey, Sirius! Wait! Why is Snape afraid of McDowall's son? He leaves him alone in potions even if he's done it wrong when he'll harp on anyone else or anything?" Ron remembered to ask.  
  
"Look, Alyson's a great potions mistress and has probably passed most of it on to her son but McDowall had a temper that maybe he's afraid of. Plus, he'll have to deal with McDowall when he's out again and won't want to have to protect himself from McDowall going after him because of his son. But that's if Azkaban has changed him a lot. McDowall and Snape were best friends and before McDowall started dating Alyson in our sixth year, Snape has a major thing for her as well, I think. Oh and, McDowall did get arrested before his son's birth. It was just before Voldemort went after you and your parents, Harry. McDowall's son must be a year younger but since he's his mother's son in some ways, he must be intelligent enough for Dumbledore to skip him a year. Be careful of him. Gotta go. Take care."  
  
"Bye Sirius!" The three called after his receding head.  
  
"Snape had a crush on someone! Ew! Just the thought is making me nauseous!" Ron faked some vomiting motions.  
  
"Let's do some more homework before we turn in. I don't want that mental image in my head while i go to sleep." Hermione grimaced and picked up her homework parchments again.  
  
Once Hermione had finished her Arithmancy homework and Ron and Harry had finished making up their Divination homework, they set off for their beds hoping images of Snape would evade their dreams. 


	2. Azkaban

Some of these characters are copyrighted to JK Rowling (as I'm sure most of us already know). However, the characters (so far added) that are mine are: The McDowall family of Alyson, Gregor and son Drew; the MacGregor family of Merllynn (Llynn), cousin Duncan, Duncan's niece Delaney, and stepbrother Iiann. Thank you for your attention and feedback.  
*************************** Mid-November, Alyson McDowall was on her way to Hogwarts for her son. She'd only been told a few days ago about this. She couldn't believe it was happening. It took forever for her to get there. The train from the Scottish Highlands to London was delayed at Glasgow again and she barely made the train to Hogsmeade. She didn't have enough time to grab some Muggle fish-n-chips or a drink at the The Lucky Cauldron. She could have used a drink. She hates the stares, the whispers. Or the worst part: people standing aside as she passes them, as if she's not the brilliant potions mistress and acclaimed author she is. Granted her books sell best outside the country, in America or in translation, due to her name's infamy within the country.  
  
"Like anything dear? Oh!" The refreshment trolley hag gasped when the lone woman in the first class compartment looked up at her.  
  
"Yes!" Alyson quickly said before the hag hurried off and dug deep into her purse. "Pumpkin juice and a...a...a...chocolate frog, I guess."  
  
The hag snatched the money as she threw the bottle and candy bar into the compartment then hurried off.  
  
Alyson picked them off the floor and sighed. She ended up locking the door and sleeping most of the ride after having used the first train ride to try and think things through.  
  
Once at Hogsmeade, Alyson walked up to the imposing edifice that Hogwarts made. She knocked once and walked in. Snape was the first person she came into contact with.  
  
"Severus, hello. Would you happen to know where Headmaster Dumbledore is?"  
  
"Alyson," Snape's eyebrow's raised to see one of his old crushes, "Yes, the Headmaster is in his office. I'll show you the way." Snape turned and pointed towards the staircase they were to take.  
  
"I understand why you are here. This will be difficult for you. Give him my regards, however."  
  
"Thank you, Severus. He will like hearing from you."  
  
"Ear wax," Severus spoke the password to the portrait for it to swing open and lead to a steep staircase.  
  
"Ear wax?"  
  
"He makes up his own passwords. I never understand them."  
  
Once again, manner overcame Snape as he allowed Alyson to go first up the stairs. At the top, she paused to let him slip open the door to speak to the Headmaster.  
  
"Headmaster, Mrs. McDowall is here to see you."  
  
"Ah, yes. Thank you, Professor Snape, I'll be right there." Dumbledore opened the door a minute later to let himself out of his office when Alyson caught sight of the boy he'd been speaking to. He looked to be about her son's age and he was playing with a phoenix. Just as Dumbledore was about to shut the door behind him, the boy turned so she could see his scarred forehead.  
  
"Oh!" Alyson turned quickly and hurried down the stairs with her head spinning but only made it a third of the way down before slipping to sit on the stairs. Snape and Dumbledore hurried down after her.  
  
"Alyson, Harry won't harm you. We were just having a chat. Come upstairs and we'll talk about what you've come about. It's time this happened. It'll be good for the two of you. I think Drew will like this in the end." Dumbledore and Snape guided Alyson back up the stairs towards the office.  
  
"But why should my son get to see his father when that poor boy can't ever see either of his parents again? How is that fair?" Alyson choked out, shaken and sniffling.  
  
Dumbeldore and Snape let her sniffle while they eyed each other as to what to say.  
  
"I think the young Mr. Potter would want Drew to take advantage of the opportunity to see Gregor. It's not that often they open Azkaban to family visitation." Dumbledore finally spoke.  
  
"We only get three hours. Is that long journey really worth it? For possibly Drew's only glimpse at his father to be of him emaciated in a rank prison miles from us until he dies, when I'm not even going to get his body back to properly bury? I don't know anymore. I don't think this was such a good idea. I'm going. Please don't tell him I was here." Alyson turned to leave once again, though this time with her emotions slightly more under control.  
  
"Very well. If that is what you wish, Mrs. McDowall." Dumbledore watched her descent.  
  
She paused at the bottom behind the portrait.  
  
Snape jumped in, "I can have him packed and ready in a half hour."  
  
Alyson stood there for quite some time. When she turned the men were able to see her wiping tears from her eyes. Sniffling, she nodded. "Please Severus."  
  
Snape swept down the stairs and pointed Alyson towards his dungeon to wait for Drew.  
  
True to his word, a half hour later, Drew descended a staircase with his trunk and eagle owl in tow of Snape. He looked confused but relaxed upon seeing his mother standing just inside the front door. Alyson looked up and gave him a wavering smile and hugged him when he reached her.  
  
"Thank you, Severus. I will have him back in a week or so."  
  
Snape nodded and walked with them to Hogsmeade station. "Now don't think good things but don't let them take things from you either." Alsyon tried to soothe herself by warning her son as to what to expect. This was, after all, her second time doing this. The first was just after Drew's birth and she wouldn't risk loosing her son as well as her husband to those Demontors.  
  
"Why are they allowing this? Why are they giving us three hours? I just don't get this." Drew finally spoke when the island prison came into view from the hours long ferry set up by the Ministry for families. He recognized some of his fellow Slytherin's parents. Alyson recognized everyone and hated being on the same boat as them of anywhere near the treacherous lot. They watched her, wondering how the might Gregor McDowall was.  
  
"It's too bad he's not out. He'd truly be the best asset to the Dark Lord as he always was. His son's a Slytherin as well. He'll become one of us shortly."  
  
The ferry finally docked for people to troop off. Once inside the compound, the Demontors gave them all the once over before slowly taking each family to its member.  
  
Alyson was near the front of the line but the trip to the dungeon, in the back, through so many doors took ages. It looked like they had finally come to an end when they reached a cell that had a man hanging from chains while sitting on the floor, or attempting it anyway.  
  
Drew pulled his mum closer. The Demontor yanked the gate open to the cell and bones fell out of the robe. Alyson gasped and stepped backwards, pulling her son with her. But the Demontor continued toward the wall just next to the pile of cloaked bones to push open a door. Walking through, it gestured towards another cell.  
  
Stepping through, they were in another corridor with cells alongside it. The one just inside on the right was the one the Demontor was gesturing towards. There sat another cloaked figure.  
  
"Gregor!" Alyson whispered in shock. He definitely was slighter than she remembered. The eyes that looked up at her seemed distant, making her think he was give the Kiss without her being told.  
  
The Demontor unlocked the cell and pushed them inside to lock them in, then left the way they had come in, closing the doors and gates behind it.  
  
As soon as the Demontor was gone, Gregor swept his wife into his arms and held her. It took her some time to realize he was crying into her hair.  
  
"I love you," was the first thing out of his mouth. He looked into his wife's face and just caressed it.  
  
They stood like that for quite some time until Gregor realized there was someone else in the cell with them. He looked up, bewildered for a moment, and then opened his mouth in surprise. He looked down at his wife for confirmation of what he was thinking. She was looking at the young man as well.  
  
"Gregor," Gregor said to his son and held out his arm to him to join in the embrace his parents were sharing.  
  
"Drew. I'm called Drew." He corrected his father but let himself be drawn into the embrace.  
  
"I remember. You told me it was Gregor." Gregor looked down at his wife again, puzzled this time.  
  
"It's Gregor Andrew but I call him Drew. He's at Hogwarts now and doing well. He'll graduate next year, should everything go as planned." Alyson changed topics quickly hoping Gregor wouldn't notice why she called her son something other than his given name. When she looked up at him, she realized he understood as he brushed her hair across his cheek.  
  
The family talked. Alyson told him about her books and their family home in the Highlands. Drew talked about classes at Hogwarts.  
  
"You're a Slytherin? Do you play quidditch? Who's the Head of Slytherin?" Gregor quizzed his son upon the revelation. He'd assumed his son would end up a Ravenclaw like his mother. Figured he'd do better in life that way, have a future away from his past. But it still gave him pride to know his son took after him even with him not being there.  
  
"Yes, sir. I don't play on the House team but I play with some of the other boys when we have some free time. Professor Snape, the potions teacher, is the Head of Slytherin."  
  
"Severus said to say hello, by the way." Alyson cut in. "He was nice enough to get Drew for me when I picked him up from Hogwarts."  
  
"Severus Snape, potions teacher, at Hogwarts! I'm amazed! How did that happen? He was.well that shouldn't be." Gregor tapered off, shocked to hear his old best mate was doing so well and not in Azkaban somewhere with him. After all he did, surely he should be in here.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore stood up in court to testify that Severus was a spy for him and he later gave Severus that job. It's anything but common knowledge, though, that he was a spy. Everyone just thinks he got away with it by saying he was under the Imperious Curse, just like Lucius Malfoy did." Alyson quietly told Gregor, remembering some of what Severus had done.  
  
"Malfoy's not in here either? He should definitely be in here."  
  
"Draco Malfoy is one of my housemates at Hogwarts. Mr. Malfoy is one of the Board Members of the school."  
  
The conversation moved swiftly through many things until Gregor realized their time would probably be up soon. He grabbed a piece of parchment from inside Alyson's cloak. He wrote a note on it and gave it back to her.  
  
"Do you remember that owl of ours that only dealt with certain post? Send this off with it." Gregor pressed his wife.  
  
"Gregor, no! No more!" Alyson shook her head and back away with tears in her eyes.  
  
"Do you trust me? Please this is for you."  
  
Alyson reluctantly took the parchment and pocketed it just before the Demontor opened the door into that corridor.  
  
"NO! We haven't had our three hours yet!" Alyson protested but realized it was the trip down to the cell that counted in that three hours as well so they only got just over two hours with him. She threw herself into her husband's arms, fearing it would be the last time she was to see him. Gregor pulled his small family into a tight embrace then let them go.  
  
"I love you both," was the last words they heard before the door closed between them. Drew heard his mother crying for the third night in a row. He now understood why she didn't want him to return to Hogwarts so quickly after their visit to his dad. The Demontors took a toll on her, and him. He just felt weak and wanted to sleep.  
  
When there was really no more food in the house, Alyson and Drew braved outside for a nip to the local grocer. They picked up salad, sandwich and breakfast ingredients for easy meals and were on their way home when they were surrounded by suddenly apperated wizards.  
  
The three men came closer to them and Alyson broke.  
  
"Please just let us alone," she sobbed and slowly sank to the ground. "We saw him and he's practically dead. He can't harm anyone anymore. Let us alone."  
  
One of the men leaned down to her and Drew drew his wand. The wizard looked at Drew and smiled gently, pushing down Drew's wand hand.  
  
"Alyson. It's me, Duncan and Iiann." Lord Merllynn MacGregor put his arms under Alyson's and pulled her to her feet. "Come, let's go home and we'll talk." They walked towards the McDowall home.  
  
Once inside, the men pulled off their cloaks and Alyson sank into them, sobbing. As it was Duncan who ended up holding her, he soothed and rocked her.  
  
"Alyson. That owl you sent. Gregor wrote that to me. All the letters that particular owl took back and forth were to and from one of us. He wants us to look after you. We're going to do that from now on. We should have done that from the beginning but weren't sure if you'd want us around, as a reminder of him." Llynn spoke softly to her, crouched in front of her and his cousin.  
  
Alyson finally looked up. She tried to dry her eyes. "You're going to protect me. Can you stop them all from saying bad things about us? Can you make them stop glaring? Can you make them stop treating me like I have leprosy? CAN YOU GIVE ME BACK MY GREGOR?!?!" She dropped back onto the coach but turned away from Duncan to lay across the coach, sobbing into a pillow.  
  
"Let her alone, just go. She doesn't want you here." Drew found his voice and went to his mother, thinking these wizards were Death Eaters.  
  
Duncan, Llynn and Iian were looking at each other. Could they bring back Gregor? "Now Ali, you know that I can't change how stupid other people are but."  
  
Llynn's pause was all Alyson needed. She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh you can!! You really can! Bring him back, Llynn, I'll do anything." She wiped at her eyes again.  
  
"I was supposed to help protect Lily and James. I lost a good man in that fight and then they were lost. I still don't know what I can do or what's to do. But I know one thing, Gregor McDowall is a good man who doesn't deserve to be in Azkaban for life."  
  
"What do you know that I don't?" Alyson pressed him.  
  
Llynn looked at his cousin. Duncan nodded while his step-brother, Iiann, shrugged. "Gregor was a spy for us. By the time we realized where he was, it was too late for any of us to intervene. We thought he'd just gone to our safe house to lay low for a little while or was off dealing with Voldemort. You know how hard it is to get the same day's or even month's copy of the Daily Prophet around here." Llynn moved away from Alyson, shaking his head. "I don't know if I can bring him back."  
  
"Yes, you can. You're one of the most powerful wizards around, being a direct descendant of Merlin himself. You need to. I need him. He's dying in there. They're only feeding him twice a day and it's ice cold by the time it gets to him." Alyson pleaded with the men, searching each face, pulling her son closer.  
  
"We'll see what we can do." Duncan stepped forward to comfort her again. They each hugged her.  
  
"What school are you at?" Llynn inquired at Drew.  
  
"Hogwarts."  
  
"Hogwarts!" Llynn looked down at Alyson in shock.  
  
"Dumbledore sent us the acceptance letter and I wasn't stupid enough to not send him." Alyson replied. "Why? Where are you children? As I'm assuming you all have children?" She inquired of them.  
  
"Aye, we each have. I've got two, Duncan's got five and Llynn's got four." Iiann finally spoke up. "Llynn's are in America since his wife's American while mine are at Beaubaton's since my wife's French and Duncan's are split in America and Russia since his first son's mother was Russian and his twins' mother is American."  
  
"Well the ones that are old enough for wizarding school are out of the country, yes." Duncan corrected his step-cousin.  
  
"They should all be at Hogwarts." Alyson stated.  
  
"I think we'll join you when you return you Drew here to Hogwarts and speak to the Headmaster ourselves." The trio decided. They couldn't wait to see Snape's face when they alighted from their carriages at Hogwarts with Alyson McDowall. Things were looking better and if all went as planned, their children would be in Hogwarts by Christmas end. 


	3. The Box

Some of these characters are copyrighted to JK Rowling (as I'm sure most of us already know). However, the characters (so far added) that are mine are: The McDowall family of Alyson, Gregor and son Drew; the MacGregor family of Merllynn (Llynn), cousin Duncan, Duncan's niece Delaney, and stepbrother Iiann. Thank you for your attention and feedback. Days after Alyson left Hogwarts with her son, Snape came flying down the stairs. When he was halfway across to the Great Hall, he made the front doors of Hogwarts fly open with a loud slam for him to pass through. Everyone just stopped and stared. Snape hastened across the grounds of Hogwarts. At the edge, he disapperated.  
  
Snape apperated at the grave of Lily and James Potter. He slowly crouched down and just stayed there. He was there for quite some time before a big black dog barreled down on him, barking ferociously.  
  
Snape stood up and yelled at the dog. The dog transformed back into human form and yelled back. The two stood there exchanging nasty jibes for about an half hour when someone else apperated and intervened.  
  
He walked between them, bent down to the marker and retorted, "See all these years later and nothing's changed after all!" Remus looked up at the two men. "Can't we just sit quietly together for a little while?"  
  
"He shouldn't even be here. You know the only reason James saved you that day from Remus was because he knew Lily would not be happy with that outcome. No one else cared."  
  
"Well I would! I wouldn't want to eat him," Remus thought.  
  
"I have no right to be her! You're right but if I have no right to be here than either do either of you!"  
  
"Excuse me! I'm the one who was TRUSTED by them BOTH. You're family obviously doesn't know how to take care of anything which is why I am the one who's supposed to be taking care of Harry."  
  
"You can have the kid for all I care. I never wanted anything to do with him. He was always better suited with Petunia than me."  
  
"What! Think back, Snivellus! Just how thin was he when h e first arrived at Hogwarts? She kept him as a slave, locked in a cupboard under the stairs as a bedroom! She takes care of him all right. And for Christmas, she sends him a Muggle 50p coin."  
  
"50p." Snape trailed off as he remembered how Harry had looked back then.  
  
"The only reason he looks the way he does now is because of the food and exercise he gets at Hogwarts."  
  
"Exercise, yes! All the sneaking around he does, just like the lot of you did back then. And no one gives a damn, they all turn their head to it."  
  
"Snivellus!."  
  
"Just what do you want, Sirius? What do you want" Snape overpowered Sirius in the conversation.  
  
"The box." Sirius finally stood down and softly said, "It's about time Harry get that. He's owed that much. Your sister won't give it to him so you're the only one left who can get it and give it to him. He needs that box."  
  
"Why? What's in it?"  
  
"I don't know but he's old enough now. Whatever they left for him, he should have, and not just the money."  
  
Snape pondered the thought, turned to look at his sister's grave. "All right. I'll go to Petunia to talk to her."  
  
"I've got to go. I'm supposed to see Harry today in Gryffindor." Sirius growled at him, transformed back into his canine form, howled pitifully once at the grave then turned and padded off.  
  
"How does he get into Hogwarts?" Snape turned on Remus.  
  
"Let's just leave it, Severus. You wanted quiet here and that's all I want as well."  
  
Snape crouched down once more. Remus continued to stand next to him. The two kep quiet company for a little while until Remus disapperated.  
  
Hours later, after dark, Snape stood up. "I'll get the box for him. But only for you. You'd want him to have it." With that he disapperated. Snape apperated directly into the kitchen of number four Privet Drive. He stood behind Petunia who was busily checking her roast dinner. As she turned around, seeing her younger brother, she screamed.  
  
"Ah! Severus! What? How?"  
  
"Who are you? How did you get into my house? What do you want? Vernon Dursely jumped up from the table where he was reading the Daily Mail.  
  
Snape momentarily looked at Dursely but kept his sister trapped her the oven. "Where is the box?"  
  
"What box?" Petunia looked at him bewildered.  
  
"You know what box I mean. Get it. It's time he had it. She'd want him to have it by now."  
  
"I don't care what she would want! She wanted to go off to the school and then she got herself killed! That boy is."  
  
"She didn't get herself killed. She wasn't the target. You have no right to say any of this." Snape stepped towards his older sister making her sit up on the range. "Just get me the box and I'll leave, Petunia."  
  
"A.a.a.all right. Let me get it."  
  
Snape backed away for her to slip out of the kitchen. When he heard her returning downstairs, he went into the corridor for the box. The ornate wooden box was no bigger than a shoebox, but he took it with a heavy heart, which weighed him down.  
  
"You had no right to use him like a slave or keep him in a cupboard." He glared at his sister.  
  
"He doesn't live under the stairs." Dursely impotently said, "He has his own bedroom."  
  
"Because you were afraid of wizards coming to do something about it." Snape snarled at his brother-in-law one last time and disapperated. Two weeks later, Alyson returned her son to Hogwarts but she came with an entourage of MacGregor men. Dumbledore met them at the front door.  
  
"Hello Llynn, Duncan, Iiann. I was wondering when I'd be seeing you. I thought for sure you'd be up here long ago for your children to attend Hogwarts."  
  
"Well it's a little late for some of them but we still want that for all of them." Llynn smiled at the Headmaster.  
  
"Shall we take this to my office, then?" Dumbledore gestured everyone inside and led the way. "It's nice to have you back, Mr. McDowall, I take it you know the way to your own house?"  
  
"Yes, sir." Drew gave is mother a kiss before heading up another staircase.  
  
"Why are they with your mother?" Snape caught up with Drew moments later. "What do they want with her?"  
  
"They showed up after we saw my dad. They're going to 'protect' her from now on, they said."  
  
"Protect her! Where the hell have they all been the last 17 years?" Snape snarled and swooped up a staircase.  
  
Turning around just in time to address Drew once more, "This weekend will be a Hogsmeade outing, by the way. Malfoy will probably stick with you as Crabbe and Goyle have been expelled while you were away." Early Saturday morning, Harry received an owl at breakfast.  
  
Young Mr. Potter You are enjoined to meet me at the location you usually meet Sirius Black, later today just outside Hogsmeade. Be there a quarter after one.  
  
"Who sent it, Harry?" Ron asked after Harry read it aloud to the two.  
  
"It isn't signed."  
  
"Should we go?" Hermione asked. "It sounds dodgy."  
  
"Well we'll go since we'll be in Hogsmeade anyway and see what it's about. But we better be on our guard. Maybe one of us should be in the town while the other two of us go, just in case."  
  
"That sounds good. Ron, you stay behind, as you're the weaker wizards."  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
"Well he is and if there's trouble, you'll need my help while Ron runs for a professor."  
  
"She's right, Harry. I'll stay behind." Ron looked dejected but was nodding his assent.  
  
"All right. Well let's go get ready for Hogsmeade!" The trio hurried back to Gryffindor house to get their cloaks and money ready for mead, magic tricks and candy galore. Hermione and Harry made their way to the cave outside Hogsmeade at 1 PM as they were told and made it there slightly early. Inside the cave they found Sirius in his canine form of Snuffles.  
  
"Sirius! It was you! WE left Ron in town thinking it might be a trick." Harry gasped and Hermione started towards the entrance of the cave to call after Ron only to bump into Snape.  
  
"Ugh! Professor! What are you doing here?" Hermione cried, thanking the stars that Sirius was still in his canine form.  
  
"I owled Mr. Potter, Sirius here and Remus Lupin for this charade." Remus apperated behind Snape.  
  
"Hello Sirius, old boy!" Remus went into the cave to pet his friend before he transformed into his human form for the meeting.  
  
"Let's get on with this, Snape." Sirius growled once fully transformed.  
  
"Here." Snape shoved the box he was holding into Harry's hands. "It's about time you get this.Well, open it." Snape became impatient at Harry's reluctance.  
  
Harry looked at Sirius, who nodded. "Open it, it's from your parents."  
  
Harry looked down at the box and slowly lifted the latch, then the lid. He laughed as he saw the picture stuck on the inside of the lid, one of him laughing as his parent's tickled him. He took it out and showed everyone.  
  
"There must be other things in there besides photographs. What else is there?" Snape was tapping his booted foot by this time.  
  
"'Sirius, I think you might need this at a later date to control Snape. Enjoy.'" Harry read the cover of an envelope and after looking at both men, handed it to Sirius. Snape's eyes followed the envelope's movements and then Sirius' eyes as he read the letter within.  
  
"What's this? Here Hermione, you read this fully and determine if it's a recipe or a potion." Harry handed a piece of parchment to his friend.  
  
"You should know that by now!" Snape momentarily looked away from Sirius and the letter to glare at Harry.  
  
Harry continued to dig through the box and found another letter addressed to Dumbledore. This Harry pocketed for later.  
  
"Ha. Well for once James got it wrong." Sirius showed Remus the letter.  
  
"What's in it?" Snape demanded.  
  
"It says you're a father. That's a laughable idea. You and what woman?" Sirius rolled around he was laughing so hard as Remus handed the letter to Snape.  
  
"Well what woman would be stupid enough to have your child, Sirius? Oh, excuse me, Scarlet MacGregor. How could I forget!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Sirius demanded as he jumped to his feet to challenge Snape.  
  
"First I want to know what you know about the MacGregors suddenly 'protecting' Alyson McDowall? Why the sudden interest in her state of mind or physical well-being?"  
  
"I wouldn't have a clue. I haven't kept up with them as I'm a fugitive."  
  
Snape's glare turned to Remus. "I don't keep up with anyone but Sirius, Severus. There's no one else to care at this point." Remus got up and walked to the entrance of the cave for some fresh air.  
  
"Boo hoo." Snape mimicked a baby crying.  
  
"What child!" Sirius demanded.  
  
"Didn't she write you?" Snape taunted Sirius. "Scarlet had your child after you were sent to Azkaban. Your daughter's at Hogwarts right now. She's the youngest Weasely's best friend and a Gryffindor."  
  
"Delaney!" Harry and Hermione cried in unison.  
  
"What's her name? How old is she?" Sirius demanded.  
  
"Delaney Cassiopeia MacGregor-Black is in the fifth year." Remus remembered from when he was professor of defense against the dark arts a few years prior.  
  
"Well she and Ginny, Ron's sister, are best friends. I never realized who she was but she looks like you." Hermione told Sirius while Harry continued to look through the contents of the box. He found Lily and James' Head Boy and Head Girl badges, some notes and more pictures.  
  
Sirius was stunned. Scarlet had never written and certainly no about something like that. He'd have to go further north soon to see her about this. No, he couldn't. They'd be watching her for him. He'd get Remus to go up.  
  
"Remus." They all looked towards the entrance of the cave to see how dark it had become. "Go to her for me. Find out everything and owl me."  
  
"Sirius."  
  
"Just take the money from my account, Remus."  
  
Sighing, Remus relented.  
  
"Time to get back to Hogwarts. Let's go."  
  
On their way back down, they met up with Ron who looked at Snape, passing, then Harry and Hermione.  
  
"I didn't go up after you because I saw Remus go up and figured you'd be okay."  
  
"Yeah, Sirius was already there as well. See. There he goes." Harry waved to his godfather. Later that night as lights were about to be out, Harry jumped up, suddenly remembering the note for Dumbledore. He grabbed his invisibility cloak, Ron and then went after Hermione to go with them.  
  
Finding Dumbledore's office was easy but it took Harry a little while to remember the password. He finally remember Dumbledore's talk of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans at the end of his first year when he'd been in the hospital wing.  
  
"Ear wax!"  
  
The three let the cloak fall off of them as they ran up the stairs and banged on his office door.  
  
"Sir, we need to speak to you." Harry said once Dumbledore opened the door.  
  
"All right, Harry." Dumbledore moved aside to let them in.  
  
The four settled into chairs as Harry dug out the envelope. "I got a box today that was from my parents. It had stuff in it like pictures, their head badges."  
  
"And a potion that I think may cure Remus Lupin's monthly tranformations!" Hermione interrupted excitedly.  
  
"You didn't tell me that!"  
  
"Cool!"  
  
"Yeah, it's in your mum's handwriting or it must be since it's so nice. Here." Hermione handed it back to harry who passed it onto Dumbledore for inspection.  
  
"There was also a letter from my dad to Sirius. It said it was to control Snape, um, Professor Snape, and my dad wrote that Snape has a child."  
  
"Well, it's been a full and interesting day, I see. Now, let's see what's in here." Dumbledore opened the envelope to find another letter by James' hand.  
  
Professor Dumbledore I am writing to inform you that we have decided to change who our secret keeper will be. We all agree that Sirius will be the likely target as he is my best friend. However, we don't believe that anyone would guess that we've the secret of our house's whereabouts in Peter Pettigrew's hands. I have bid farewell to Sirius until a day we can meet again. James Potter  
  
"This clears Sirius!" Harry jumped up and grabbed the note from Dumbledore. He was ecstatic.  
  
"Now hold on Harry. I will need that to take to the Ministry to see if they agree. They will do tests on the age of the ink and parchment and make sure it's James' handwriting. If all goes well, Sirius will be cleared. Let's hope for the best."  
  
"How long will it all take?" Hermione asked the crucial question.  
  
"I'm not sure. But I will leave immediately for the Ministry so that they have it to start on in the morning." 


End file.
